Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a floating construction as for example a pontoon, a vessel, a pontoon bridge or a similar floating construction, assembled from several box-like floating units which are rigidly but removably connected to each other by coupling means which are provided with a connecting rod-construction.
A similar floating construction is known from EP-A-0 079 911. By assembling the floating construction from several box-like units, which are rigidly but removably connected to each other, transport of the construction to areas that are hard to reach, for example to lakes which can not be reached through waterways, can be facilitated considerably. In addition, the units can be assembled rapidly and efficiently without requiring heavy hoisting equipment. After use of the construction the units can simply be disengaged and transported.
With this known floating construction, the coupling means consist of a hollow pin which is mounted to the outer side of a side plane of one of the floating units to be connected and with coupling is led in a bush on a corresponding position on the side plane of the unit to be connected therewith, after which the hollow pin and the bush are connected to each other by means of a bolt.
This known floating construction has many disadvantages. Firstly, high requirements should be made to ensure the accuracy of the manufacturing of the coupling means and the mounting of this means to the floating units. The bush and the hollow pin to be led therein, each of which is fastened to another floating unit, have to fit precisely together.
Further, with the known construction the planes to be connected of the floating units are coupled to each other at the four corners. This is a statically overdetermined connection which, regarding the relatively large dimensions of the floating units, can lead to serious mounting problems when fastening the fourth junction because the hollow pin can not be led into the bush. Furthermore, this coupling means forms projecting parts on the floating units which is difficult during transport of these units.